Ontario’s upcoming provincial elections contain many uncertainties | The Canadian News

Ontario’s provincial elections are fast approaching, and while the campaign is already well under way, the process itself comes with several unknowns.

The issues facing Ontario voters on June 2, 2022 will be similar to those in previous elections. The state of the economy, managing climate change, and addressing housing affordability are topics that are expected to have a long time to use. But like all things in the world these days, the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery from it is bound to overshadow many problems. And, potentially, it can affect the way your campaigns work.

Canada has already gone through its first federal election against a pandemic, not to mention several provincial elections. But with the arrival of the Omicron variant, it is unclear what impact COVID-19 will have on the election itself.

Election timing, at a time of year when warmer temperatures have generally had lowercase counts, could bode well for campaigns seeking to engage the electorate in person. But political strategist Kim Wright says that depending on virtual events, it might not be all bad, if that’s what it comes down to.

“That will change the tone of the conversation a bit,” Wright said, “but also [the candidates] plus an opportunity to listen to more than just the party’s faithful. “

The Progressive Conservatives were the first out the door this fall, getting the mileage early on their “yes party” catchphrase. The slow trickle of platform ads from each of the opposing parties presents not just a challenge, but an opportunity, Wright said.

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“As we enter the new year, each of the opposition parties has the opportunity to really show how they would do things better, what their priorities are, how they would really make different decisions,” he said.

Contrasting views always play a key role in any election, but the threat of disruptive protests increasingly seems like it will play a role during elections.

During the 2021 federal campaign, the leaders of all the major political parties were enraged during his run for the votes, possibly none more than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was often confronted by loud and in some cases violent annoying protesters. with the vaccination of the liberals. plans.

In the closing days of the fall session, Ontario Government House leader Paul Calandra voiced some concerns about what he witnessed in Trudeau’s bid for reelection.

“We saw stones thrown at the prime minister,” Calandara said. “That is completely unacceptable.” But he said there were also reasons to be optimistic despite those episodes.

“The parties were ultimately able to get their messages across, and I suspect we can all do the same,” Calandra said.

That may turn out to be wishful thinking, especially in regards to the recent protests. Prime Minister’s communications chief Doug Ford recently revealed that the prime minister and his family were brought to his country home due to ongoing anti-vaccine protests and the blockade in front of his private residence. Health Minister Christine Elliott also faced similar protests late into the night.

The situation may turn out to be similar for the NDP and the Liberal campaigns, due to their positions on the vaccine mandates, a position that generated much ire during Trudeau’s federal campaign.

That desire to appeal for votes in a peaceful manner is fortunately shared across the political spectrum.